Stocking protector



March 17, 1931. L. J. BAILER STOCKING PROTECTOR Filed March 16, 1927 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIFCE LEONARD J. BAILER, F GHIGAGO ILLINOIS u s'rocxme rnornc'roa I Application filed March 16, 1927. Serial No. 175,678.

The invention relates to waterproof protectors for stockings.

In wet or rainy weather, the portion of a stocking adjacent the back of the shoe becomes soaked with water which drips from the coat or is thrown upwardly by the heel,

and the portion between the shoe-top and the calf of the leg is apt to become soiled with mud which may be splashed by passing pedestrians or vehicles.

One object of the present invention is to provide a sheet rubber stocking protector which is in the form of a circumferentially continuous tube and is shaped to effectively cover the aforementioned portions of the stocking to protect them from water and mud.

A further object of' the invention is to provide a stocking protector of this char- 2 acter which may be readily applied, is simple in construction, and may be produced'at a comparatively low cost.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective of a protector embodying the invention. Fig. 9. is a front view of the lower end of the protector. Fig. 3 is a detail section of the upperend of the protector, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

The invention is exemplified in a stocking protector which is formed from a sheet 5 of elastic and waterproof material, such as rubber. The side edges 6 of the sheet are permanently secured together at the back by a stitching 7 or any other suitable means and are cut so that the protector is in the form of an upwardly flared tube which is adapted to encircle the stocking and extend from the heel portion of the Wearers shoe to the calf of the leg. The elastic quality of the rubber sheet causes the protector to tightly fit the leg so that it will not slip.

The lower end of the protector is extended downwardly, as at 8, for the purpose of covering the ankle and lapping the back of the shoe. A characteristic of this extension is that it prevents the water which strikes. the back of the protector such for example as the water which drains from the wearers coat, from running down into the shoe. The front of extension 8 is cut away, as at 9, to accommodate'the top portion of the foot and to facilitate application of the protector. The margin 10 at the bottom of the extension and the margin 11 which is contiguous to the cut-away portion 9 are doubled back upon themselves and are secured together by a stitching 12 for reinforcing purposes. j

The extension is held in place around the back of the shoe by an elastic strip13 which is adapted to extend under the arched portion of thesole ofthe'shoe and in front of the heel. One end of strip 13 is permanently secured to the inner face of one end of margin 10 by a stitching l4, and the other end of the strip is secured to the other end of the margin by a snap fastener 15 which comprises a stud member 16 and a socket member 17. The latter is secured to the inner face of the free end of strip 13, and member 16 is secured to the outer face of said other end of margin 10.

The upper margin 18 of sheet 5 is doubled back upon itself, as at 19. An annular band 20 which consists of a strip of double thickness rubber is connected to margin 18 by a stitching 21. This band is used for reinforcing purposes and if desired may be folded downwardly so as to shorten the protector.

In use, the wearer first removes the shoe. The protector is then slipped over the foot and up and around the portion of the leg which extends between the ankle and the calf. The shoe is then replaced and the extension 8 pulled downwardly and around the back of the shoe. Strip 13 is then swung under the arch portion of the shoe and fastened in place by means of the snap fastener.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim asjnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

As a new article of manufacture, a stocking protector comprising an upwardly flared eircumferentially'continuous tubular member formed of sheet rubber and adapted to encircle the Stocking between the ankle and calf portions-,andto be applied by inserting the foot therethrough and then drawing it upwardly into place, the rear part of the lower end of said member being extended downwardly to form an extension-piece sub stantially U-shaped in horizontal cross section and of sufficient area completely to overlie and cover the back part of the wearers shoe, the front part of the lower end of the member terminating adjacent the top of said extension-piece to facilitate application of the protector andleave the upper portion of the foot of the stocking exposed for ventilationgpurposes, and a strap for securing said piece in its operative position, said straphaving onefend thereof permanently attached to one of the lower corners of said piece, the other endof said strap being removably connected to the other lower corner so that said strap may be released during .application or removal of the protector.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 14th day of March,1927.

LEONARD J. BAILER. 

